A DC arc furnace is desirably operated with the arcing electrode or electrodes powered with the same polarity, particularly negatively powered so that the one or more arcing electrodes all operate as cathodes. To provide the other connection, the furnace's hearth must be made so that electric power can be transmitted through it to a melt formed on the hearth, making the melt an anode when the electrodes are operated as cathodes. This requires the hearth to be provided with a hearth connection, which is insufficient or ineffective when scrap is initially charged on the hearth for an initial melt-down by the arcing electrodes. Therefore, such a furnace is provided with one or more starting electrodes which are inserted through an opening in the furnace enclosure over the hearth, and into contact with the scrap piled on the hearth for initial melting. Such a starting electrode must have its tip pressed into the pole of scrap, and during the starting-up or melt-down period of operation, arcing inevitably occurs between the starting electrode tip and the scrap pieces, even though the electrode is pressed firmly into the scrap. This, plus electric resistance heating effects, results in such a starting electrode, normally made of metal, having an undesirably short service life.